Slide fastener



April 6, 1935. s. H. NORTON 1,998,331

SLIDE FASTENER Original Filed Oct. 26, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IINVENTOR. Smuel H Norton.

ATTO EX April 16, 1935. 'sfl-l. NORTON 1,998,331

' SLIDE FASTENER Original Filed Oct 26, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

SamueZ AKA/Orton Patented Apr. 16, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT oer-ice 1,998,331 snmr. ras'rnmm Samuel H. Norton, Meadville, Pa.,'

assignor to Hookless Fastener Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application October 26,

1929, serial No. 492,101

Renewed May 31, 1933 6 Claims. (01. 24-29%) tached. This is objectionable in'many cases, par-- ticularly where the fastener is applied to garments'for the reason that'there is a tendency for the fastener to gradually work open.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a slide fastener with a slider having im proved means of novel construction to prevent inadvertent opening of the fastener.

In applying slide fasteners to clothing and some other articles, it is an advantage to have the'pull member placed at the rear end of the slider and on its longitudinal center line. By so placing the pull there is a tendency when closing the fastener, to lift the slider away from the clothing or articles underneath the fastener, thus permitting free action as it is being closed. With such a construction, it is no longer possible to make the pull operate aslider locking device as in some It is, therefore, an-

standard locking sliders.

other object of this invention to provide an improved slider for slide fasteners having a locking device which is separate from the pull.

A more specific object is to provide a slider construction having an end pull and a slider locking device carried by the forward end of the slider to engage the fastener elements at a point where they are interlocked. 4 Another object is to provide aslider for slide 5 fasteners having a'pull member in an advantageous position and in addition,' a member pivoted thereto which can be moved to: engage the fas tener elements and thus prevent sliding movement of the slider on the fastener elements.

Another object is to provide a locking device for the slider which, when in looking position, will permit movement of the slider in .the closing direction, but which will prevent movement thereof in the opening direction.

considerable strength so asto be'adapted particularly for clothing and other articles whereithe fastener must be pulled together under consider.-

integral reinforced portion at the'wide end of the slider in which portion is formed improved means for attaching a 'pull member. I With the above and other objects in view, the

' loops formed thereon for receiving 'the locking tion.

. type employed for continuously securing The slider disclosed in this application possesses sliding movement on the fastener elements I.

In the drawings which illustrate suitable embodiments of the present invention; i Fig. l is a plan view of a fastener having a lock- 10 ing slider and a separable bottom stop, showing the slider positioned as in opening the fastener elements; v a

Fig. 2 is a'plan view of a slider positioned on a separable fastener, the locking member of the 15 slider being shown in locked position;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken on the line 3-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. "4 is a perspective view of a strip of metal from which the slider is coined showing a hexagonal projection formed thereon during the coining operation;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 4 showing one step in the formation of the slider;

Fig. 6 isa perspective view showing another step before the slider is bent into final shape;

Fig. 'I is a perspective-view of the reverse side of the slider blank illustrated in Fig. 4 showing the member;

Fig. 8 is member; s r Fig.9 is a perspective view showin the comj pletely formed slider and showing the locking member assembledtherewith and in released posia perspective view ofthe locking Referring to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, separable fasteners of the flexible flaps together along their adjoining edge portions are shown in Fig. 1. Fastener elements I are attached. at closely spaced points tothe adjoining edges of'the flaps or fastener tapes2 and are r formed for interlocking engagement with each' other. These fastener elements I are progressively guided into and out of interlocking engagement by means ofa slider A which is mounted for The slider A embodies an'inner wing 4, overlying the inner sides of the fastener elements and an outer. wing 5 fastener elements. These wings, and! are disposed in parallel relationland-are united at one r end-by an integral web. 5 'havingangular cam overlying the outer sides of the k surfaces I formed thereon. Each slider wing as shown in Figs. 1 and 6 is provided with two of such surfaces which intersect each other along the longitudinal axis of the slider. These cam surfaces 'I serve to separate the fastener elements I when an opening movement is imparted to the slider A. The wings of the slider A are formed with opposed divergent guide flanges 8 at their sides which serve to guide the fastener elements I into interlocking engagement with each other, the ends of the flanges 8 adjacent the web 6 being spaced from the cam faces I to provide suitable passageways for the reception of the slider elements I. A slider A is, in effect, provided with an open ended passageway which branches off into divergent passageways adjacent the web 8.

In orderv that the slider A may better serve to pull together the open edges of the fastener under strain as in a corset or similar application, the same is provided with channels which will cause the fastener edges to be pulled together without binding in the slider.

Openings 9 extend through the reinforcing por tions III forming the cam faces .I, through which a cord or suitable strip of fabric is passed and tied to provide a suitable pull member I I for actuating the slider.

The fastener is provided with a separate device gagement by pulling on the tapes 2 on which they are mounted. The locking means, which is clearly illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 9, comprises a onepiece member I2 pivotally mounted on the slider A and having an integral lug I3 formed substantially perpendicular thereto, which, when the member I2 is in locked or operative position, is adapted to engage between the adjacent members of one of the rows of fastener elements I and thus hold the slider A against sliding movement, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. This locking member I2 is preferably located at the narrow end of the slider so that the lug I3 'will engage interlocked elements. Being located at the narrow end, the locking member may conveniently serve as a pull for actuating the slider to open the fastener.

, The locking member I2 is formed from a single piece of metal and has two recesses along one side. The projections I4 are bentinwardly to engage the inner surfaces of spaced loops I5 formed of the metal of the outer wings 5, and the central projection I6 is positioned between the loops I5, As shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 7, the inwardly bent ends of the outer legs I4 of the locking member I2 thus provide the means for pivotally mounting the locking member I2 onthe slider A. A slot I1 is formedin the slider wing 5- adjacent one of the loops I5 sothat the lug I3 can be moved therethrough to the position shown in Fig. 3 and engage thefastener elements I when the locking member I2 is pivoted to its locking position.

When the slider is in locked position, that is, when the lug I3 of the locking member I2 is positioned against the fastener elements I, it can be seen that the slider A is locked against sliding movement, and consequently the fastener cannot be inadvertently or purposely opened by pulling on the fastener tapes I, because any downward movement of the slider results in a pressure which causes the locking member to swing more firmly against the slider. .On the other hand, however,

member I2 away from the slider and thereby releases the bearing pressure.

In the manufacture of the slider of the present invention, a fiat strip I8 of metal, such as shown in Fig. 4, is fed through a coining press provided with dies which are so formed as to coin the boss I which forms the cam surfaces I. This boss III, as shown in Fig. 4, is preferably of hexagonal shape and is so positioned on the strip that one of its. diagonals substantially coincides with the-longitudinal axis of the strip I8. This construction provides adequate strength even though a consid erable amount of metal is taken away to form the openings 9. The boss I0 is formed with'a longitudinally positioned central depression I3 during the coining operation, the bottom of which is further formed with a pair of spaced transversely extending depressions 20, separated by a bar 2I of metal which integrally connects the sides of the depressions I9.

The slider is then blanked from the strip I8,

and each blank, as shown in Fig. 5, includes the boss I 0 and the wings 4 and extending in opposite directions from the boss III. As shown in this view, the wings 4 and 5 diverge toward each other for the greater portion of their length and then 7 abruptly converge toward each other and terminate at the corners of the longitudinal side faces of the boss III. The bottoms of the transversely extending depressions 20 preferably are cut or pressed out during the stamping operation to form the previously mentioned openings 9.

The blank illustrated in Fig. 5 is next placed in a suitable press in which the guide flanges 8 are formed thereon by bending the. marginal edges of the divergent portionsof the wings substantially at right angles to the body portions thereof, and in the same direction as the boss III, as shown in The spaced lock member receiving loops I! are formed in a suitable punching press by punching portions of the metal at the end of the wing 5 to the shape shown in Fig. 7.

The blank shown in Fig. 7 may at any state in its formation be formed with the notches 22 at its ends which have at least one inclined side wall. The recesses 22 as shown in the various views, are formed in the ends of the blank adjacent one side of the same with the inclined wall of the recess positioned toward the nearest guide flange 8.

These recesses 22 are for a purpose that will soon be described.

theslider by bending the ends of the legs I4 into the loops IS. The slider in this assembled condition is ready to be attached to the fastener.

' The fastener as previously mentioned, is provided with a separable bottom stop shown in Fig. 1. I This bottom stop,'as shown, comprises two members 23 and 24 adapted to be interlocked with each other, each of which is secured to a fastener tape 2 adjacent the end fastener element mounted thereon by suitable tongues25. These tongues may also embrace the edge of the material 28 which the stringer is attached.

The stop members 23 and '24 are respectively provided with a recess 26 and. projection 21 which interlock with each other to prevent relative transverse sliding movement betweenthe stop members and a tongue 29 on member 24 projects through an opening in a lug 30 on member 23.

The recess 22 in the wing' of the slider engages over the lug 30 to hold the slider in position'on the end of one stringer while the other stringer 'is separated therefrom. This construction is disclosed and claimed in the patent to Samuel H. Norton, No. 1,830,078, granted November 3, 1931.

When the fastener elements are completely interlocked and the locking member I2 is swung to the lower side of the loops IS, the lug l3 projects into the space between the wings and into the path of movement of the fastener elements on one of the tapes to bear against the same; When the lug I3 is in locking position and the slider is pulled in an upward direction, pressure of the fastener elements on the lugwill swing the locking member l2 outwardly from the face of the slider and not hinder the upward movement of the slider. The slider, however, is positively locked against movement in the downward direction, since pressure in an upward direction on the lug tends to swing the locking member against the face of the slider.

It is apparent that the present invention provides a very simple, satisfactory and reliable means for locking the slider against movement when the fastener is closed, to prevent opening of the fastener by pulling on the fastener tapes, the locking device being so designed that it will not interfere with the closing of the fastener.

It is to be noted that the separate pull member shown and described provides a very satisfactory means for operating the slider, because a direct pull can be exerted on the slider during its sliding movement, thus preventing the same from binding on the fastener elements. By providing a locking device separate from'the pull, both the pull and lock may be located at their most advantageous positions. The novel construction at I the rear end of the slider produces a very strong sliderand at the same time, provides suitable means for attaching the pull.

It is to be further noted that by forming the slider with wider approach angles than heretofore used, the slider will have free sliding movement on the fastener elements even when the fastener must be closed under a fairly heavy strain, because it" will receive the interlocking elements as they-approach the slider at wide angles and guide them into interlocking relation.

Aside from the specific embodiments of the invention herein shown and described, and the leasing rows of fastener elements which has opposed wings overlying opposite sides of the rows of fastener elements, and a connecting portion interposed between the fastener elements of the two rows, a pull member attached to sail slider, one of said wings having an opening and loops struck up from the body-thereof and projecting outwardly on opposite sides of the opening, and a locking element having aligned pivot memhers projecting into said loops and a prong intermediate said pivot members integral with said locking element, and extending at right angles to the pivotal axis,'said prong being movable through said opening into and out of engagement with fastener elements within the slider.

2. A slider for progressively interlocking or releasingrows of fastener elements which; has opposed wings overlying opposite sides of the rows of fastener elements, and a connecting portion interposed between the fastener elements of the two rows, one of said wings having an opening, a locking element in the form of a plate pivoted at one end to said wing to swing about an axis parallel to the plane ofthe wing and transverse to the direction of movement of the slider, said plate having a prong disposed substantially radially with re-' spect to the pivotal axis, and movable through said opening into and out of engagement with fastener elements within the slider, said prong being substantially at right angles to the plate and said plate being so arranged' on said wing as to be movable about its pivotal axis from a posi- 7 tion in which it lies flat against the slider in advance of the opening to a position in which it lies flat against the slider'to the rear of said opening, 7

and separate pull means carried by said slider, said locking element being operable to lock the slider independently of said pull means.

3. A slider for progressively interlocking or releasing rows of fastener elements which has opposed wings overlying opposite sides of the rows of fastener elements and a portion connecting the wings atone end and interposed between the fastener elements of the two rows, a pull member connected to the latter end of said slider, an opening in one of said wings, and a locking element pivoted to swing about an axis extending across said opening transversely to the direction of movement of the slider, said locking element having a prong movable through said opening into and out of engagement with fastener elements within the slider and a portion extending at right angles to the prong for operating the same.

4. A coined slider for progressively interlocking or releasing rows of fastener elements comprising superposed spaced wings tapering toward one end of the slider and having opposed side an integral joining and spacing portion at the- I wideend of the slider comprising a hexagonal internal boss folded upon'itself about a line at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the slider and extending transversely across the center of the boss, said joining portion having an aperture in which a pull member may be attached.

5. In a slider operated fastener a pair of stringers having cooperating fastening means thereon, a slider movable along said stringers to control, said fastening means, said slider comprising wings adapted to lie on oppositesides of saidstringers and a connecting portion between said wings at the rear end of said slider, a pull member attached to the slider adjacent to said connecting portion, and a locking member pivoted at one end to said slider adjacent the forward end thereof, a prong on the pivoted end of said locking member, said locking member when in locked position adapted to be automatically 4 1,aos,as1

locking device operable to lock the slider in any position along said stringers independently of said pull member, said locking device comprising a tab pivoted atone end to the slider and having a prong projecting from the tab, at approximately right angles and from a position on said tab in approximately the line or the pivotal axis, said prong also having suilicient length to project into engagement with the fastening means in the slider when the tab is swung against thelclosing end of the slider, said prong by reason of its posi-.

tion on the tab acting as a lever to swing the tab upwardly to release the prong from engagement with the fastening means, upon movement of the slider in a direction to close the fastener.

SAMUE H. NORTON. 

